WHO: Indonesia will report bird flu cases

A World Health Organisation senior official says the agency has been
assured that Indonesia will continue to report human cases of, and deaths from,
H5N1 bird flu as they occur.

The WHO sought clarification from Indonesia after Health Minister Siti
Fadilah Supari recently stated that the country would only report H5N1 deaths
sporadically.

This announcement came with warnings that Indonesia would be in violation
of International Health Regulations if this occurred.

An international treaty - Indonesia is a signatory - requires prompt
reporting of cases of diseases such as H5N1 that have been designated as global
health threats.

"We've received official notice at our WHO office in Jakarta that the
minister will continue - as she has been - notifying WHO on confirmed infections
under the International Health Regulations," said assistant director general for
health security and environment, Dr David Heymann.